Watch the premiere on YouTube December 5 at 9:30 AM PST. The episode will be available on all podcast platforms shortly after.
Guest: Grant Findlay-Shirras Owner of DEKORA
Host: Felicia Pulley, Creative Director of RESA
“The company wasn’t unprofitable because staging doesn’t work. It was unprofitable because they were spending more than the volume justified.”
– Grant Findlay-Shirras
“If you’re waiting for the phone to ring, you’re already behind. Staying top of mind with email, social, and signs is how we’re going to double the business.” — Grant Findlay-Shirras
One of the biggest shifts Grant made was committing to proactive, consistent visibility. He recognized that referrals alone cannot sustain a modern staging business. Instead, he built a marketing plan around repetition, relevance, and staying in front of agents long before they have a listing. This mindset reframes marketing not as an extra task, but as a core part of running a profitable and predictable company.
“When you look at two staging companies side by side, the gaps become obvious. You finally see what’s normal and what’s actually a problem.” — Grant Findlay-Shirras
Grant’s perspective shifted the moment he evaluated multiple staging businesses at the same time. Patterns emerged quickly — operational inconsistencies, weak systems, hidden inefficiencies, and opportunities that would have been invisible without comparison. Stepping back with a buyer’s mindset allowed him to identify what needed to change, what could be strengthened, and what would set the foundation for long-term success. It is a reminder that clarity often comes when you look at your business from the outside rather than from the middle of the day-to-day.
00:00 Intro
00:55 Why Grant Decided to Buy a Staging Company
02:15 Choosing a Business His Wife Would Love
04:00 What Due Diligence Revealed About the Industry
06:45 Comparing Multiple Staging Companies at Once
09:20 Identifying Profit Problems in the Business
12:10 Early Operational Changes After the Acquisition
15:25 The 90-Day Challenge and Warehouse Bonus System
18:30 Marketing Missteps of the Previous Owner
21:40 Why Staying Top of Mind Matters More Than Ever
23:15 Social Media, Email, and Signage for Growth
25:10 Managing a Team Through Change
27:40 Staffing Levels Before and After the Purchase
31:55 Building Standards the Whole Team Can Follow
35:20 How Grant Plans to Double Revenue Year Over Year
38:10 Grant’s Take on Community and Learning from Peers
41:30 Why Staging Businesses Should Be Built to Sell
44:05 Final Thoughts and What’s Next for DEKORA
45:20 Outro
This episode follows Grant Findlay-Shirras’ journey into the staging industry after purchasing DEKORA Staging at the beginning of the year. His decision was driven by a desire to buy a business that his wife, Amanda, would genuinely enjoy, given her background in design and her growing passion for interiors. Grant shares that he thrives on the business side, while Amanda brings the artistic vision, making staging a natural fit for their partnership.
A major theme is buying a business the right way. Grant explains why he and Amanda conducted deep due diligence on two staging companies at the same time. Looking at multiple businesses gave them a clearer understanding of what was “normal” in the industry, what operational issues each company faced, and which acquisition made the most sense. This process revealed how differently staging companies can be run and what potential problems may not be visible at first glance.
Once they acquired DEKORA, the reality set in. The business was unprofitable, largely because expenses did not align with the sales volume. Grant breaks down early operational shifts: evaluating staff roles, restructuring spending, and creating systems to support consistent quality and financial sustainability. One of his first implementations was a 90-day challenge for movers and assistants, accompanied by a weekly bonus incentive built around warehouse standards.
He credits ideas learned from RESACON and top stagers in the community for shaping these early leadership systems.
Grant and Felicia also dig into marketing for growth, especially for staging companies that have relied solely on referrals. Grant argues strongly for staying top-of-mind with agents and past clients. He believes the path to doubling revenue year over year is built on three things:
The conversation then turns to team building and leadership, where Grant shares the size of the staff at acquisition versus today and the reasoning behind his staffing changes. The discussion threads into culture, accountability, and creating shared standards that actually stick.
Grant Findlay-Shirras is the new owner of DEKORA Staging and brings a sharp entrepreneurial lens to the home staging industry. With a background in building and scaling businesses, Grant stepped into staging with a clear focus on operational strength, systems, and long-term sustainability. His approach blends business strategy with the creative expertise of his wife and business partner, Amanda, who leads the design vision at DEKORA.
In his first year of ownership, Grant has focused on restructuring the company for profitability, tightening internal processes, strengthening team accountability, and developing a visibility-driven marketing strategy designed to support steady, predictable growth. His perspective offers a refreshing look at what is possible when a staging business is built intentionally, with strong foundations and a clear path forward.
Grant continues to immerse himself in the RESA community, learning from established stagers and openly sharing the decisions, challenges, and strategies behind rebuilding a staging company from the inside out.
Grant is also a RESA Approved Instructor for the Staging to Sell, What Every Agent Should Know continuing education course, where he helps real estate agents understand the value of staging through data, strategy, and practical application.
Get notified about new episodes and industry insights.
The Staging Insider would love to get social with you on Instagram!
Hosted by Felicia Pulley, Creative Director of the Real Estate Staging Association®, The Staging Insider takes you behind the scenes with today’s most influential stagers. From creative strategies to business realities, every episode dives into what it really takes to thrive in the staging industry.